File for papers



(No Model.)

J. CHASE.

FILE FOR PAPERS, &c.

Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

N. PEI'ERS, PhclwLnnagraphcr, wumm n. c.

' follower to open and close the clamps.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE.

JOHN oHAs E, or PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

FILE FOR PAPERS, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,959, dated August9, 1887.

Application filed Oetober27, 1886. Serial No. 2l7,529ll. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN CHASE, of Paterson, in the county of Passaicand State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFiles for Papers, Periodicals,

850., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to files which comprise two members adapted to bemoved toward and from .each other in order to receive between them andclamp a number of papers or periodicals, as distinguished from thosefiles in which the papers or periodicals are secured by perforating themand passing through them cords and needles or other securing devices.

My improved file comprises a base piece or frame, twoclamps pivoted soas to swing toward and from each other, a follower which engages theclamps between their pivots and their free edges, anda screw foroperating the These parts are all constructed of metal and may besecured together so as tobe self-sustaining; but for operation they aresecured to a foundation board or plate, which may consist of a simplebar or back piece of wood having greater width than thickness, or of aback piece to which side covers areconnected, so

. that a file filled with papers will have the apo pearance of a book. 7

In some desks it is now customary to have a drawer provided with a fileupon the inside, and in such a case the front of the drawer mayconstitute a foundation plate or board to which my file is attached, andthe button or head of 'the screw whereby it is turned'may constitute towhich the clamps are pivoted may extend.

through 'a mortise in the foundation plate or board, and upon the outerside or back of the foundation plate or board may be secured acap-plate, in which the screw is journaled,and which is preferablyconnected, independently of the foundation plateor board, with the basepiece or frame. I prefer to support the clamps upon parallel pivotsarranged side by side at a little distance apart, and then the clamps asthey come together will have less swinging In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a sectional view in a plane parallel with the faces or edgesof the clamps of a file embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transversesection upon'about the plane indicated by the dotted line :0 m, Fig. 1;and Fig. 3 is a back view of the' parts which -compose the file proper,the cap-plate being removed and the screw being shown in transversesection.

Similar letters'of reference designate corresponding parts in theseveral figures.

A designates a foundation board or plate, which may consist simply of abar of wood having considerably greater length than thickness,or whichmay form the back of a cover or the front of a drawer. In thisfoundation plate or board is formed a mortise, b, in which the parts ofmy file proper are arranged, the clamps of the file being presented uponthe inner side of the plate or board A, and the other parts of the fileproper'beingpresented at the outer side thereof.

In this example of my invention the frame or inclosing-casing of thefile proper may consist of a base piece or frame, B, the form of whichis best shown in Figs. 1. and 3, and a cap-plate, B. These two parts maybe of cast metal, the cap-plate having any suitable form, and beingornamented in any way desired, and they may be secured together,so as tobe held in fixed relation to each other, by means of screws 1), whichare inserted from the inner side of the basepieee B, as best shown inFig. 1. The base piece or frame B has inwardlyextending lugs or ears band O designates piece or frame B. These clamps G in reality consist oflevers having the pivots c at their one end and their clamping jaws orfaces 0 at the opposite end. I prefer to support the clamps O byparallel pivots arranged side by side and at a little distance apart,because then the clamps, when adjusted at a considerable distance apartto receive between them a comparatively thick bundle or pile of papersor periodicals, will at their clamping edges 0 describe flatter ares orarcs of less curvature as they are adjusted toward and from each other.As here shown, the capplate B may overlap the foundation board or plateA on the outside and be secured thereto by screws 1), while the basepiece or frame B may overlap the said plate or board A on the inner sidethereof, and, if desired, be rabbeted thereinto, as shown at b".

lVhen the parts are arranged and connected as described, it will beunderstood that the clamps C have their jaws or free edges presented ata little distance from the board or plate A on the inner side thereof,and their length rearward to the pivots 0 is accommodated within themortise in the board or plate A and within the hollow capplatc B.

The means for operating the clamps C consist of a follower, 1), and anoperating-screw, E. In this example of my invention the operating-screwE has a shank or journal portion, 0, which is fitted within a bearing,0, in the cap-plate B, and by said bearing is held against lengthwisemovement.

The follower D is fitted to the screw as a nut, and has at opposite endsslots (1, which receive wrists or pins 0 upon the clamps G, and as thefollower is moved lengthwise of the screw by the turning of the screwthe free or clamping edges 0 of the clamp G are moved toward or fromeach other. The wrists 0*are formed by notching the clamps O, and thechecks or sides of the notches which are at the ends of these wristsconfine the follower D and prevent it from movement about the axis ofthe screw. The shank portion 0 of the screwE projects beyond the bearing6 whereby it is held against lengthwise movement, and to such projectingend may be secured a head or knob, c,whereby the screw may be turned.\Vhen the invention is to be applied to a paper-file, the projecting endof this screw may be square, so as to receive a key for turning itinstead of applying a knob or head, 0, thereto.

In the construction shown the shoulder 0 upon the screw preventslengthwise movement in one direction,while the head or knob 0 forms ashoulder to prevent lengthwise movement of the screw in the otherdirection; but if the outer projecting end portion of the shank or screwwere square to receive a key, as above described, the shoulder 0' wouldprevent lengthwise movement of the screw in one direction,and movementin the other direction would be prevented by the end of the screwabutting against the base piece or frame 13, as shown at 0 in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that by my invention I provide a file in which the partsare of great strength and so connected and operated as to give theclamping-jaws a very strong hold upon papers or periodicals introducedbetween them.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. The combination, with a base piece or frame, of two clamps pivoted atone end to swing toward and from each other and forming clamping jaws orfaces at their other ends, a follower having its opposite ends engagedwith the clamps between their ends, and a screw made separate from thefollower and operating the latter to close the clamps, substantially asherein described.

2. The combination, with a base piece or frame, of two clamps pivoted attheir one end to swing toward and from each other and forming clampingjaws or faces at their other ends, an operating -screw and a bearingwherein the screw is journaled and held against lengthwise movement, anda follower made separate from the screw and fitted as a nut thereto andhaving its opposite ends engaged with the clamps between their ends toopen and close them when moved by the screw, substantially as hereindescribed.

3. The combination, with a base piece or frame, of the clamps O, pivotedthereto and having wrists 0" between their pivots and free edges, thefollower D, having opposite ends slotted to engage said wrists, and ascrew for operating the follower to open and close the clamps,substantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with a base piece or frame, of the clamps 0,connected therewith by parallel pivots side by side, a follower en.-gaging the two clamps between their pivots and free edges, and a screwfor operating the follower to open and close the clamps, substantiallyas herein described.

5. The combination, with a base piece or frame and a cap-plate securedtogether, of two clamps pivoted to the base piece or frame, anoperatingscrew journaled and held against lengthwise movement inthecap-plate, and a follower engaging the clamps between their pivots andfree edges and fitted as a nut to said operating-screw, substantially asherein described.

6. The combination, with a board or foundation piece, A, of two clampshaving their free or clamping edges presented beyond the inner facethereof and pivoted outward of said inner face of the board orfoundation piece, a follower engaging the clamps between their pivotsand free edges, and an operating-screw whereby the follower may be movedto open and close the clamps, substantially as herein described.

'7. The combination, with themortised board or foundation piece A,- ofthe base piece or lower, D, fitting thescrew as a nut and engagframeextending through said mortise from in the inner face of the board orfoundation piece, clamps O, pivoted to said base piece or frame, 5 acap-plate, 13, applied to the outer face'of the board or foundationpiece, an operatingscreW,'E,journa1ed in the cap-plate, and a foledges,substantially as herein described.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, V HENRY MCBRIDE.

JOHN CHASE.

g the clamps between their pivots and free

